Boot-tree.



No. 653,575. Patented July It], I900.

m. J. HALL.

BOOT TREE. (Applica tion filed Doc. 6, 1899.)

2 Shanta-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

IN VENTOH Q is l/i WI TNESSES A 770/?NEYS No. 653,575. Patented July I0, 1900.

M. J. HALL.

BOOT TREE.

(Application filed Dec. 6, 1899.) (No Modei.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

NIT-ED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

MARY JANE HALL, OF ASPEN, COLORADO, ASSIGN OR OF TVVO-THIRDS TO JOHN ARMITAGE HALL AND LOUIS R. FEOHTIG, OF SAME PLACE.

BOOT TREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 653,575, dated July 10, 1900. Application filed December 6, 1899. Serial No. 739,393- (No model.)

My invention is an improvement in trees for use in boots and shoes; and it consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 a side view, partlyin section, of a tree embodying my invention. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on about line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail rear perspective view of the tree, parts being broken away. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the right-hand section of the tree-body. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the instep-block. Figs. 7 and Bare side views, respectively, of the adjusting-sleeve and the screw-shaft. Fig. 9 is a perspective View of the flaring-point for spreading the sections of the body of the tree. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the bearing-piece for the screw-shaft. Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of the block for adjusting the insteppiece, and Fig. 12 is a detail perspective View of the bearing-piece for the screw-sleeve.

The body of the tree is made in two sections A and B, which are provided in their inner abutting faces with ways 1 for the screw sleeve, recesses 2 to receive the bearing-pieces for said sleeve and having openings 3 for the trunnions of said pieces, recesses tto receive theinstep-block and its operating devices and provided with openings'5 for the trunnions of the bearing-piece for the screw-shaft, and recesses 6 for the spreading-point on such shaft, said recesses 6 having inclined walls 7, against which the tapered spreading piece or point operates to spread the tree.

The sections A and B are connected at theirv rear ends by aleaf-hinge 0, so their front ends may open and close, and such front ends are normally pressed together by a spring D, which is shown as a spring-plate arranged between the leaves of the hinge O and the ends of the sections A and B and secured by said hinge, as is best shown in Fig. 4..

The instep-block E (shown in detail in Fig. 6) is provided at its front end with the shaft F, carried by the lug E and projecting on 0p- 'posite sides of the said lug to enter openings G,'formed in the sections A and B. By this construction the block E is pivotallysecured to the sections Aand B, so it can be conveniently removed when desired by' simply opening the front end of the tree, and it is also so secured that it will not be affected by the adjustments of the sections A and B in the ordinary use of the tree. This instep-block E is operated from below by the blockH. (Shown in detail in Fig. 11.) This block or rocker H is provided with a transverse opening H from side to side which journals on the short rockerpie'ce I, in which the screw-shaft J is threaded, and the block H also has a transverse opening H from front to rear through which the screw-shaft J passes. At its upper side the block H is provided with an arm H, which is preferably curved slightly and is adapted to bear. beneath the instep-block and lift the latter when the block H is properly operated. To operate the block H, I provide it with an extension-arm 11, preferably on its under side and arranged for abutment by the lower end K of the screw-sleeve K.

The sleeve K is threaded in its bearing block L, whose trunnions L fit in the openings 3 in the sections A-aud B, so the turning of said sleeve K will cause the same to move longitudinally within thetree, a suitable handle being provided at K on the said sleeve, so it can be easily turned as may be desired. The lower end K of the sleeve K is preferably broadened and is arranged to .bear against the arm H of the block H in ate in the opening I and pass through the opening H in the block H. By this arrangement the operating block or rocker H is conveniently supported upon the bearing-piece I without in any manner interfering with said bearing-piece, as will be readily understood from Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings.

The screw-shaftJ passes through the sleeve K, is threaded in the opening 1 and is swiveled at its inner end J to the spreading-block M, which is tapered at its front end and bears at such end against the inclined walls 7 of the sections A and B and operates to open the tree when the screw-shaft is turned to move the same into the tree. The shaft J has a handle J by which it may be turned to force the sections A and B apart or be retracted so such sections can be closed by the action of the spring D, as before described.

In their outer sides, near their front ends, the sections A and B are provided with sockets N, in which may be fitted the studs 0' on the inner sides of the corrugated plates 0, which may be supported upon the tree-sections, as shown in Fig. 1, and will operate to prevent any slipping of the said sections in the use of the tree.

When desired, the corrugated protuberauces 0 may be made integral with the last.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A tree comprising the body-section, the instep-block, the rocker pivoted between its ends and having an arm engaging said block and an arm for engagement by the operating device, and such device engaging said arm substantially as set forth.

2. In a tree, substantially as described, the combination of the body-sections, the screwshaft provided with means for spreading such sections, the bearing-piece having a threaded bearing for said screw-shaft, the rocker supported on said bearing-piece and provided with an arm for operating the instep-block and with an arm for engagement by the screwsleeve, the screw-sleeve and its bearing, and the instep-block arranged for operation by the rocker, substantially as set forth.

3. In a tree, the combination of the bodysections, the screw-shaft arranged to spread said sections, the instep-block, the bearingpiece havinga threaded bearing for the screwshaft, the rocker supported on the bearingpiece and arranged to operate the instepblock, and the screw-sleeve arranged to engage and operate the rocker, substantially as set forth.

at. Atree, comprising the sections, the leafhinge connecting the said sections, and the spring for closing said sections arranged adjacent to and held by the hinge which connects said sections, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a tree, of the bodysections the hinge connecting the rear ends of said sections, and the actuating-spring composed of a plate extending between the rear ends of the sections, substantially as set forth. 7

6. In a tree substantially as described, the combination of the body-sections providedin their inner faces with bearing-openings, the instep-block having at its front end a shaft whose ends fit and journal in said openings, and means for operating said instep-block, substantially as set forth.

7. A tree provided with the body-sections and means for operating the same and having said sections provided with the corrugated plates by which to prevent slipping, substantially as described.

8. The combination, in a tree, of the bodysections provided in their inner faces with openings for the bearing-pieces for the shaft and sleeve and for the pivot-shaft of the instep-block, the instep-block having its'shaft held in the sections, the bearing-pieces for the shaft and sleeve having their trunnions held in their respective openings, the rocker supported on the bearing-piece for the screwshaft and having means for operating the instep-block, the screw-shaft having means for spreading the body-sections, the spring for retracting said sections, and the threaded sleeve arranged to operate the rocker, substantially as shown and described.

9. In a tree substantially as described the combination of the body-sections, the screw for spreading the same, the bearing-piece for such screw-shaft, the instep-block, the rocker having an opening for the said screw-shaft and openings fitting over the bearing-piece therefor, and means for operating'such rocker substantially as set forth.

. MARY JANE HALL.

Witnesses:

A. MUL UEEN, E. A. BURNS. 

